Geely Auto has announced its entry into the UK market, with the first car set to go on sale in Q4 2025.

In 2024, Geely Auto sold 2,176,567 cars, without any sales in the EU, UK, or US.

Last year, the firm increased exports by 57%, exporting 381,548 cars.

Geely Auto UK will be the brand’s first distributor in Europe, with Geely planning to integrate existing local dealers into the sales process.

The first model to be sold in the UK will be the EX5, an electric C-Segment SUV, competing with the Tesla Model Y.

The EX5 already complies with all requirements for sale in the UK, but was further tweaked for the tastes of British buyers by Lotus Engineering.

Mike Yang, general manager at Geely Auto UK, said: “We know the Geely EX5 is a great product with several core features that will appeal to a British audience.

“That’s why we chose it to be our first passenger car for sale in the UK. However, we’re aware that UK customers have unique demands.

“For that reason, before we release the car for sale, we’re working with the experts at Lotus Engineering to make sure we have a car that’s in line with expectations.

“Lotus Engineering has a formidable track record along with some of the best R&D resources, so we’re delighted to be working closely with them.” 

Geely Auto is part of Geely Holding, which owns Polestar, Volvo, Lotus, LEVC, and Zeekr.

Expansion into the UK market is part of a wider globalisation plan, which will see more global design centres, research and development centres, and testing clusters, aiming to increase market share in more than 80 countries.

Geely Auto currently has 891 sales and service centres across 81 countries, and is expecting to grow this to over 1,100 by the end of 2025.